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Original poster

How much to pay neighbour for theft

379 replies

tippietoppy2 · 29/09/2019 15:03

We live in London in a converted building where there are several flats. We had some guests over to the communal garden, and during the visit one of our guests must not have secured the side gate properly (for a max of 30/45min). Our neighbour later said their bike, which they had secured with a bike chain, got stolen (they told us thief cut through chain with bolt cutters).
We were very apologetic to our neighbour, and asked if we could contribute towards the bike. Our neighbour has sent us an invoice for the bike purchase of £525 from 2017 and their bank account. They asked us to send them £550 to buy the current model.
We feel terrible their bike got stolen. We want to be a good and considerate neighbour, and want to contribute financially towards the bike. But TBH I was shocked by the amount they are asking for. We were not expecting to buy them a brand new bike. It's not like we stole the bike ourselves. We are not familiar with the bike involved, nor seen a police report for the theft.
We have not even bought brand new bikes for ourselves or our kids ever, always purchasing our family bikes (and even our children's buggies) 2nd hand. We also don't have the budget to pay them £550.
Our neighbour is evidently extremely wealthy with multiple kids in private schools (we are an ordinary family with kids in free state schools). Possibly they might not understand £550 is a huge amount to a normal family.
How much is fair and reasonable to pay towards the neighbours stolen bike?
a) £550
b) £275 - half the price of another brand new bike
c) £250 - full cost of a 2nd hand bike (eg buy same model on ebay/gumtree)
d) £125 - half the price of another 2nd hand bike
e) see if they can claim it under their home and contents insurance, and we contribute towards the excess. The bike was chained right outside their front door. Although I suspect they probably didn't report the theft to the police
f) £100 - goodwill gesture
Any other idea's or suggestions appreciated. Would like to try to resolve it so we all feel comfortable and happy.
PS The Freehold building insurance doesn't cover personal property

OP posts:
JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 29/09/2019 15:56

Pay nothing.

  1. they left their bin in a communal garden. Probably invalidating any insurance

  2. they have no proof your guests left the gate open and that it was during the time their back was stolen

  3. they should have insured their very expensive bike

  4. a bike chain? For a £525 bike? Their own fault for having such poor security!

  5. it’s a two year old used bike. You don’t get a brand new bike to replace it!

LeekMunchingSheepShagger · 29/09/2019 15:56

I would ask for the police report/crime number and offer to pay the excess on their insurance.

Straycatstrut · 29/09/2019 15:57

What is to stop the neighbours claiming on insurance and then getting cash from you?

Course. Some great input on here for you OP.

I really really hope you don't give them a penny now.

Oliversmumsarmy · 29/09/2019 15:57

Bikes are covered by your contents insurance.

There is a section on if you own a bike over a certain amount.

I presume that someone with a £500 bike chained up outside in a communal garden would have added it to their policy

Wouldn't pay anything

IceCreamBrain · 29/09/2019 15:58

What @Pollydocket said.

Tonnerre · 29/09/2019 15:58

If you choose to leave a valuable bike in a communal garden with an inadequate lock you are accepting the risk that it could be stolen. A thief who is prepared with bolt cutters is likely to be prepared to climb over a locked gate anyway.

MutedUser · 29/09/2019 16:00

If he bike was bought in 2017 then they are only entitled to a bike from that date not an update brand new model .If it was their car that got Stolen insurance would not pay out on the price you bought the car but the value it was when it got stolen. Total CF

LIZS · 29/09/2019 16:03

It should be under their household insurance, although that may stipulate it being kept in a secure place . If so you could cover the excess, but by doing so you may admit liability and be open to a small claim.

Mamasaurus82 · 29/09/2019 16:04

Tell them to get a lockable bike shed or to take their bike in the house. I'd give them enough for 2nd hand bike IF you can get proof... they might have a police reference number or something.

agentnully · 29/09/2019 16:04

I'm with the 'do not pay' replies.

You have no idea if it was stolen before or after your guests left.

While they have proof of purchase it could have been stolen/sold a while ago. Or they may still have it stored somewhere else.

Police report before any action from you should even be considered.

If they brought cutters a locked gate probably wouldn't have stopped them.

I had a motorbike stolen from a locked garage. It was secured with a reinforced chain and lock yet they got through it with a grinder. It's nobody's fault but the thieves.

You sound like a very nice person - the kind I'd love as a neighbour. I used to be just like you until I was made a hard-faced cynic by people your neighbours might possibly share morals with. Proof, proof and more proof, please.

RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime · 29/09/2019 16:05

A communal garden isn’t secure bike storage.

How did your guests get in the gate, btw, if it was usually locked?

Windydaysuponus · 29/09/2019 16:05

Tattoo removal is expensive op. Better to splash out on removing the MUG sign off your forehead than a new bike...

diddl · 29/09/2019 16:06

I think that they are trying to pull a fast one tbh.

If it was due to one of the guests not securing the gate, would that make it Op's fault?

The neighbour is the one with an expensive bike chained up in a communal area isn't it up to him to check that the area is secured all the time-and is that really the only place for it?

SoupDragon · 29/09/2019 16:09

So, someone with bolt cutters with them just happened to be passing when the gate was supposedly left unsecured by an unidentified guest?

DishingOutDone · 29/09/2019 16:11

Why on earth did you assume responsibility OP?!

Pollydocket · 29/09/2019 16:16

Dishing, it wont help OP to blame her. ( she’s clearly too nice)

What matters now is getting out of the situation. Asking for a police report ( doubt they have one) and insurance paperwork ( it won’t appear) is the way to go.

It was never OPs fault, doubt it even got stolen. One of those lessons in life.

OnTheEdgeOfTheNight · 29/09/2019 16:16

Did you see the bike in the garden that day?

Boysey45 · 29/09/2019 16:17

None, they should claim off their own house insurance. Your not responsible. Also that bike wouldn't even be worth £250 now.

GreatBigNoise · 29/09/2019 16:18

I’d pay like for like if your guest left the gate unlocked.

Moondust001 · 29/09/2019 16:18

This is what I have insurance for. They have no proof that you or one of your guests was at fault. If a bike was stolen at all, maybe somebody hopped the fence? Maybe it was somewhere else when it was stolen. I don't see any liability for you here, and I suspect they are chancers. Don't pay anything.

MzHz · 29/09/2019 16:18

This bike got stolen in a 30m window from a communal garden that is normally locked.

What a load of old nonsensean extremely poor piece of luck.

Don’t pay them a penny. That’s what their insurance is for.

MzHz · 29/09/2019 16:20

I’m willing to bet their kid LOST the bike and they are using the gate/guest stuff as a way to get someone else to replace it.

Cherrysoup · 29/09/2019 16:20

Tell them to claim on their insurance.

LaurieFairyCake · 29/09/2019 16:22

I would offer to pay the excess only

FamilyOfAliens · 29/09/2019 16:23

I’d pay like for like if your guest left the gate unlocked.

There doesn’t appear to be any evidence that that’s what happened though.